TNAG-2401-FCO40-3488-Vietnamese-migrants-Orderly-Repatriation-Programme-(ORP)-1992 — Page 197

CONFIDENTIAL

CONFIDENTIAL

FM HONG KONG

TO ROUTINE HANOI

TELNO 17

fa

HKA 020/14

imp.

OF 22040OZ JANUARY 92

INFO ROUTINE F CO

13

022600 MDLIAN 8755

IMPORTATION OF DOMESTIC HELPERS AND FEMALE WORKERS FROM VIETNAM.

WE HAVE RECEIVED A LETTER OF 2 JANUARY FROM A COMPANY IN HK IN THE NAME OF 'CP EXHIBITION' REQUESTING PERMISSION TO IMPORT DOMESTIC HELPERS AND FEMALE WORKERS FROM VIETNAM TO WORK IN HK. THE COMPANY CLAIMED TO BE A HK AGENT FOR THE 'CHAMBER OF COMMERCE AND INDUSTRY' OF THE VIETNAM GOVERNMENT. THEY ALSO CLAIMED THAT THIS IDEA HAD BEEN DISCUSSED WITH THE AMBASSADOR AND THAT HE FOUND THIS TO BE 'VERY INTERESTING'. A COPY OF THE LETTER WILL FOLLOW BY FAX.

2. UNDER OUR EXISTING POLICY, NATIONALS FROM VIETNAM MAY VISIT HK FOR SOCIAL AND BUSINESS PURPOSES BUT THEY ARE NORMALLY NOT ALLOWED TO STAY ON A PERMANENT OR SEMI-PERMANENT BASIS. THEY THEREFORE CANNOT TAKE UP EMPLOYMENT IN HK.

3. WE INTEND TO REJECT THIS REQUEST. WE FEEL ACCEDING TO IT NOW WOULD SEND A WRONG MESSAGE TO WOULD-BE ECONOMIC MIGRANTS IN VIETNAM THAT HK IS RELAXING ITS CONTROL ON THE ENTRY OF VIETNAMESE. THIS MIGHT RESULT IN ATTRACTING MORE TO COME ILLEGALLY WHICH WILL UNDO THE PROGRESS WE HAVE MADE SO FAR ON THE VIETNAMESE MIGRANTS ISSUE. WE FEEL THAT UNLESS AND UNTIL THE VIETNAMESE MIGRANT PROBLEM IS CLEARLY AND FULLY RESOLVED WE SHOULD NOT (NOT) OPEN OUR LABOUR MARKET TO THE VIETNAMESE. THIS IS A VALUABLE CARD TO KEEP UP OR SLEEVE FOR FUTURE USE IF

REQUIRED.

FORD

YYYY

1

PAGE CONFIDENTIAL